The Kalahari Gemsbok Park is a 4 hours drive from Kathu where we started the journey… the four hours turned into 6. A blowout, a tyre purchase in the town of Van Zylsrus, and a refill of petrol in Askham, took its toll on the time as well as the fact that 185 km. of the trip is on dirt roads…..
An easy start… paved roads… and lovely scenery…and even some Gemsbok…
Wild flowers and desert scenes… and one big blowout…
Van Zylsrus… here you can’t get lost… but we found a tyre (which I couldn’t believe) and then an older Gentleman even fitted it to the rim for us… Van Zylsrus works on a different time scale to the rest of the world… “What’s the hurry? You’ll still get there..” they don’t mention when…. but what a helpful little town… with a hotel and a great pub….
And now when you finally get going again… you are seeing real desert scenes inter mingled with some shrubbery…. long straight dirt roads that pass the local farm homesteads…. windmills tell the story of how they get their water, and everything looks as though it is on Van Zylsrus time….
The local policeman in a hurry to somewhere… maybe it’s to the pub in Van Zylsrus to quench the “dorsland” thirst….
And as time marches on .. the vultures come in to roost, or maybe they thought we were in more trouble than we were… and might just turn into a meal…
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh …. the big town of Askham….. petrol for a thirsty bukkie, and refills for thirsty travellers…. now this is a one horse town, and it’s owned by the sheriff…..
AND FROM HERE WE TRAVELLED A FEW KILOMETRES TO OUR OVERNIGHT RESORT… MOLOPO SEE YOU TOMORROW….
The Photographic Journey of bulldog. 
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Alcuni inconvenienti che hanno dato la possibilità di fare splendide scoperte. Un diario di viaggio sempre più interessante, con foto stupende!!
Ciao, Pat
Thanks Pat.. these small things add to the excitement…
Ah ha, they say it is not the destination, but the journey…..thanks for taking this little adventure and sharing. My greatest fear, a flat tire in a place like that.
Thanks it did add to the excitement…
See, if you hadn’t had the blowout, you wouldn’t have found out what a great little town it is. Looks like an awesome trip. Ever so slightly jealous at the moment 😀
That is so true.. although my son lives in Kathu and knows the area well and was quite certain we would get help.. to the extent he said someone there would lend us a wheel for the remainder of our trip… can you imagine someone doing that in our cities… but they will see me again.. that pub looked like it could be fun on a Saturday afternoon when the rugby is on.. (even though I don’t drink, I reason it would be a blast)
Thanks for taking us on this trip, Bulldog. I’m loving it so far. I love the idea of the sleepy little towns where everyone is kind and helpful. (and I think your too tough for the vultures!)
They would have an unpleasant meal eating this old body… but then they do eat sh one t so maybe they’d enjoy me…
haha! I meant you would karate chop him before he got a good hold on you…
Wow, what an adventure! So many different kinds of vistas…
Oh there is so much more to come over the next week or so…
Can’t wait!
What a journey! Six hours? I love a good road trip ! Thanks for the photos!
It is a wonderful trip when you only see 1 other vehicle in 186 km of dirt road… feels like you’re on an adventure into the unknown…
Yes but I would not be able to enjoy it. I’m paranoid!
What a place …. and you found a pub too – looking at the dry environmental I would like something to drink too. My pick will be the photo with the road and the car – that is one great photo – because it show the greatness in it all – and the remoteness. That is one good photo. You take fantastic of animals and birds, but that is a photo full of greatness.
Viveka.. thank you.. I thought it was a great photo as well, it was the only other vehicle we saw in 186 km of dirt road.. and I took it through the windscreen for a laugh… but it did turn out well… just show though not a road to break down on with so little traffic if you need help… and not to good with cell phone connection either… but it was an exciting ride and took me back to my youth.. travelling 100s of kn on such road with my Dad.. no cell phones then.. if it broke you fixed it yourself and soldiered on… remember fixing a broken fan belt with a pair of under pants.. and travelling 100 odd km with it not giving a single problem again…
Truly a smashing photo – I can feel the greatness in the park through just looking at that photo. Taking great photos is about 98% luck at times.
No I can understand that .. to breakdown there .. you have to be prepared for serious waiting time. I really like that photo.
Definitely an intriguing drive …. but a blowout in the middle of nowhere? Seems you got lucky! Dang … those vultures look quite large … probably well feed from the people who get blown tires.
Quite so Frank… but luckily the spare was ok.. but don’t want to travel without a spare.. got lucky..
… and not eaten by the vultures.
I am always fascinated by the one horse towns…
Love the pics, Bulldog 🙂
These are almost in a time warp… yet everyone will stop and talk to you, and they’re never in a hurry… and they all know who can help with what.. a lady informed us to see the older chap as he had everything to fit the tyre to the rim… he did.. but hardly charged a cent… it is wonderful to know there are still communities like that in our country…
I always imagine the ladies still to be wearing crimplene dresses… The help you got there is wonderful.
If I knew what crimplene was I could tell you… those we met where actually dressed how you would imagine.. either a bit conservative or jeans and shirts (farmers wives I would imagine).
What a great series of photos! I must admit that I’m fascinated with a scene where vultures just swoop in to watch! That’s a scene I don’t see every day! 🙂
They are very prolific in the Kalahari, and seem to have their favourite roosts… you see it so often in the jokes but to watch it happen in real life.. one wonders what is going on in their heads…
Bugger about the blow-out! What a bad time to get one. Glad you could find a town to get another tyre!
The spare was ok… but with long distances between civilisation you don’t want to travel without a spare…
I made sure we had spares when we drove across the Aussie desert – it’s just too far between towns to get stuck on the side of the road 😦
Never a dull moment on your trip.
Out there the inhabitants will live by the rule that “More is nog ‘n dag”
How right you are… when the older gentleman helped with the tyre… time was on a go slow… why worry you will get there in the end… time seems to have no meaning at all… what a way to live, wonderful…
Very interesting trip you’re taking us on. Fascinating place.
Oh it gets better… the most interesting place I’ve been to…
What are those antelope – spectacular! Love the Vultures!
The antelope are the Gemsbok.. you will see so many more photos as we go along.. the desert is there home, the are true survivalists… and the most beautiful of antelope… strong, fast and the horns have taught many a Lion a lesson…
Gorgeous!
What an adventure.
Thanks Alex.. all part of the fun…